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The Iowa-born Williams brothers had learned to sing from their parents, who had no formal training. Somehow, their harmony was spot on.

Sippel doesn't remember what they sang -- he was attending a show every night back then -- but he does remember the brothers as gentlemen.

"They were very personable young men straight out of the farmlands of Iowa," he said. "They were damn nice people."

Williams, who died Tuesday at age 84 after a battle with cancer, rose to fame in the 1960s.

In the late '40s at the Blackstone Hotel on Michigan Avenue, however, Sippel would have never predicted such popularity.

The brothers' show with Thompson lasted only eight months. Sippel isn't sure why.

The Williamses went on to Hollywood, and Sippel kept in touch with one brother, Don, who had a career managing acts. From time to time, Sippel would hear how Andy Williams was doing through Don Williams. And he reviewed him a few times more while working at Billboard.

Years later, Williams hit it big with "Moon River." Sippel calls it one of the "greatest ballads of all time."

"I think it was a combination of Johnny Mercer, who was one of the greatest of all in putting together a song, and Andy," Sippel said. "It just fit his style so beautifully."

But it was still a bit surprising to see Andy Williams achieve that kind of fame.

"I didn't think (the brothers) would be as famous as Andy was," he said. "I'm sure Andy would tell you, if you asked him, the same thing."